Process of and apparatus for cleaning textile goods



Sept. 4, 1928.

C. J. FRH

PROCESS OF AND APPARATUS FOR CLEANING TEXTILE GOODS 1,682,841 C. J. FRH

Filed June 25, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 PROCESS 0F AND APPARATUS FO-RCLEANING TEXTILE GOODS Sept. 4, 1928.

li'atented Sept. 4, 1928.

UNITED STATES CONRAD J. FRH, 0F ZURICH, SWITZERLAND.

APRGESS OF ANB APPARATUS FR CLEANING TEXTILE GOODS.

Application leil June 5, 1926, Serial No. 118,832, and in German);`.Tuly 2, 1925.

The present invention relates to a process for wet-treatment, especiallyfor washing textile goods in the form of fabrics and a machine for theworking of the process.

The object of my invention is to provide a process and machine wherebythe fabric may be conducted through a washing course in such manner thatboth sides of the fabric will be thoroughly and uniformly subjected ioto the actionV of a cleansing liquid.

A further object of the invention is to provide a process and apparatuswhereby the length of the working course and the length or height of theapparatus may be reduced i5 over present processes and apparatus withresultant advantages.

lily invention will be best understood when described in connection withthe accompanying drawing, in which luig. l shows a partial longitudinalsection and llig. 2 a partial cross section ofthe machine.

-Upon foundations l? a frame formed by the uprights l, 2, the traversesel and 5 and the stays 6, 7 is provided. rlhe traverses 3, 4l, 5 carrybearings 8, 9, l0 etc. in which shafts il, l2, 13 are placed. l`heshafts ll, i2, 13 are rotated by means of a motor shown only by theletter M. Upon the shafts li, l2, l chain-wheels la, lt, l5, l5', lo, lo(Fig. 2) operated by a train of gears indicated by lt are disposeddriving the chains i9, i9 etc., resting upon guides i7, 17, 18, 18 etc.The disposition ofthe train of gears is such that the shaft il` turnswith the highest speed, the shaft l2 with a smallerspeed and the shaftl5 with a speed still smaller; of all the chains the chains driven bythe Vshaft 13 have the smallest speed. To the chains, by means of rods20, 2U etc. endless and porous bands 2l, 22, 23 are attached guided uponcylinders in such a way that they are entrained by the motion of the,chains, the band Q3 of course having the smallest speed. Atvthe sides ofthe frame along the machine liquid delivery tubes 25, 25', 26, 26, 27,27 etc. are provided, extending across the transport bands and havingholes 28,` 29, etc. (Fig. l). "With the band 2l are shown more holes atthe front end than at the rear end and the holesmay also be of differentwidth in order to be able to place themost part of .liquid upon thetextile fabric at the beginning `of the process. For the bands 2Q and23,1. e. for

the second and third step the distance of the holes is about the samefor the whole length of the machine.

ln order to prevent the fabric from adhering or sticking to the band ofan upper step when passing therefrom to the band of the next lower step,the iirsttube of the lower step is arranged to act as a guide which isengaged by fabric in passingA from the de livery end of the upper bandto the receiving `The fabric is reend of the lower band. versed-face forface-at this time, what has been the lower face in the upper stepbecoming the upper faceV in the lower step. This face of the fabrictends to stick by suction to the upper band and cause the fabfw ric totravel with the lower stretch ofsaid band.` This is prevented by passageof the fabric around the iirstr spray tube of the lower band wherebytheportion of the fabric lying between the same and the delivery end ofthe upper bandis pulled away from and prevented from traveling with thelower stretch of the upper band. `Ait the same time this interveningportion of the fabric forms a deilector guiding a jet of the liquidissuing from the tube upwardly into the angle between the fabric andlower stretch of the upper band, thus assisting inbreaking the suctionso that a quick release of the sticking fabric will beeffected withoutinj ury thereto.

Since the liquid is not intended to remain in the fabric, the bands areporous as already remarked and7 in order to prevent the liquid from droa iin r from an u ier, u aon a lower bc i l, Q are disposed from whichand sprinkled thoroughly with liquid. From fthe end of this band thefabric will drop on the second band 2Q, a smaller speed, transportingthe goods 1n the second step in opposite direction andgetting sprinkledagain whereby the sprinkling of the first tube of the second stepprevents the fabric from adhering or sticking to the band Q1 of thefirst step. The saine operationtakes place from the second to thethirdstep,

so as to allow the fabric to be sprinkled equally in every part and onboth sides during its travel through the machine.

This process and apparatus may be employed with great advantage in thecleansing fabrics after they have been loaded with tin -with thisapparatus in the washing tetrachlorid and before dyeing, for theurposeof removing the free tin and acid. tis desirable and necessary inthis operation that the fabric be initially subjected for a certain timeperiod, while in a fully spread condition, to a thorough Washing actionin order to liberate and Wash olf all or the reater portion of theparticles of free tin. I have discovered that this initial Washingaction may be carried out Within a comparatively short period of timewhen the fully spread fabric is subjected to eiiicient Washingtreatment. This initial Washing action should be followed hy a washingaction of longer duration in order to remove any residual free tinremaining and to wash out all the acid. I have also discovered that thismay be carried outvvithin a reasonable period of time if the fabric isexposed to Washing treatment on both sides, notwithstanding the factthat, in order to reduce the length of the course, the fabricis-permitted to pleat or fold upon itself durin the acid removing stagesof treatment. I take advantage of these discoveries in the provision ofthis improved rocess and machine. With the type of mac ine illustratedin which the sinuous washin course is divided into three ste s `orstages, t e fabric is reversed side for si e in its travel from stage tostage so that a thorough washing action is obtained, and a time periodof about two minutes is allowed for the travel of the fabric throughthis sinuous course. This is divided u into fifteen seconds for thefirst course, tiirty seconds for the second course and ninety secondsfor the third course. These time eriods may be varied, of course, butwill be ound suicient out of loaded silk ahi-ics. In the trave of thefabric along the .first stage the fabric is fully outs read and the timeperiod is sufficient for t le washing out of all or a very highpercentage of the free tin and in most cases a certain amount of theacid. In the travel of the fabric along vthe second stage, in' which itis reversed so that its opposite side is exposed to the direct action ofthe Washin fluid, any remaining free tin is removed andT a portion oftheacid iswashed out. By reason of the reduced speed of travel of thefabric in the second stage with res ect to the first stage, the fabricleats or fol s to a certain extent, but is subjected to washingtreatment for a long enough period to remove a substantial amount of theacid. In the travel of the fabric along the third stage, at a slowerrate of speed than its travel through the second stage, and in which itis reversed to bring its original face, i. e., that exposed to the firstWashing action, to washing treatment, the fabric pleats or `folds uponitself to a greater degree than on the second stage, but is subjected toa longer period of washing treatment so that at the end of the courseall the acid will be Washed out. The sprayers along the second and thirdstages may direct the washing liquid in such manner and with such forceas to tend to lift the pleats or folds, thus aitating such portions ofthe fabric and allowing the liquid to reach all portions thereof andthereby increasing the ellieiency of the washingaction. By this mannerof treatment a compact type oftapparatus is produced which may be ofmuch ess length than a horizontal machine and much less height than avertical machine operating to act on fabric traveling at a more or lessuniform or constant speed. The compactness of the organization not onlysaves lioor space but enables conveyors and conveyor chains or otherworking parts of less length to be employed, reducing liability ofbreakages or derangements causing more or less frequent stoppages andrepairs.

What I claim is:

l. The method of treating a textile fabric to the action of a cleansingliquid, which consists in conveying the fabric throu h a plurality ofcourses at progressively dcreasing speeds, and spraying the fabric withthe liq- 1nd on each course.

2. The method of treating a textile fabric to the action of a cleansinliquid, which consists n conveying the fa ric throuvh a plurality ofcourses in a Siuuous pati at progressively decreasing speeds so as topro essively increase its time period of trave 0n successive courses,and spraying the fabric with the liquid on each Course.

3. The method of treating a textile fabric to the action of a cleansingliquid, which consists n conveying the fabric in a zigzag path through ap urality of superposed courses at pro ressively decreasing speeds,whereby the fa ric is reversed face to face on succeeding courses andits time period of travel. progressively increased fromcourse tocourse,and spraying the fabric with the liquid on each course.

4. An apparatus for treating textile fabries to the action of acleansing liquid, comprising means `for conveying the fabric through aplurality of courses at progressively decreasing speeds, and means forspraying the fabric with the liquid on each course.

' 5. An apparatus for treating textile fabrics to the action of acleansing liquid, comprsing a series of superposed conveyors forcourses, and a series of sprayer tubes along each course for sprayingthe liquid upon the fabric.

7. Apparatus of the character set forth in claim 6 wherein the firstsprayer tube of each lower course is arranged to spray the liquidbetween the fabric passing from the conveyor of the upper course to theconveyor 20 of the lower course for the purpose set forth. In testimonywhereof I affix my signature.

DR. C. J. FRH.

